And this story wasn't written when it happened, if it actually happened the way he describes it (there's no source).
I know the issues in the industry, I'm in it, and this is why the article has plenty of:
Digging up stories of developers being directly impacted by noncompetes was a little tricky. Plenty of folks had seen the language in contracts, but not many had had them actually enforced.
The story he describes as a kid is more akin to a slap suit. The IPs we build and the techs we make are still not protected by this, and the same cease and desist could be sent to a company where they think.you are using their tech.